Amateur and world class curlers battle it out at Qualico Mixed Doubles Classic

Local curling Anika Villemaire looked in the zone with her team mate Sora Ishida curling against Canadian Olympic World Champions Jill Officer and Reid Carruthers at the Qualico Mixed Doubles Classic on January 3. Photo credit Marie Conboy.SM

Local club curlers mixed it up side by side with Olympic medalists, international champions and legends of the game for four days of action, culminating with an impressive run to victory for the American team of Korey Dropkin and Sarah Anderson.

The Rocky Mountain Curling Association proudly hosted the Qualico Mixed Doubles Classic welcoming world curling athletes at the Canmore Golf and Curling Club and at the Fenlands Banff Recreation Center on January 3-6.

Amateur and Olympic curlers competed and local teams boldly took on the big guns battling for a chance to win the $10,000 prize money.

Banff Curling Club and Canmore curling clubs are ready to host the world-class curling talent in the Qualico Mixed Doubles Classic.

On a young team from the Banff Curling Club Anika Villemaire looked in the zone with her team mate Sora Ishida curling against Canadian Olympic World Champions Jill Officer and Reid Carruthers on January 3.

Japanese International Student Sora Ishida who used to play on a curling national team said he was delighted to have the exciting opportunity to play against Canadian and world curling champions. His team mate Anika Villemaire also said it was an amazing experience to play against some of her idols who she always aspired to be like. Villemaire says she is aiming to go professional one day and is training every week to get there.

World silver medalist Reid Carruthers said the support for the event was great and was hopeful Rocky Mountain Curling would keep hosting the event in years to come.

Communications Coordinator with Rocky Mountain Curling Association/Qualico Mixed Doubles Classic, Kathy Seifert said the community spirit of the event was amazing. Large crowds turned out every evening over the three days to watch the competition.

“We did a lot of work to attract some of the top teams and big names in curling. We have three young teams from the United Kingdom who devote their time to mixed doubles curling. We have three from the United States and a team from Norway and a team from Switzerland, also with lots of local average curlers. They said they were really excited to be here, they loved the facilities and for many it was their first trip to Canada.

“It’s like living your dream, you see your heroes on TV and now you get to play against them,” said Seifert.

“It’s important to thank to our friends and neighbors Rocky Mountain Curling Association and Banff Curling Club, all of the sponsors, the volunteers, the staff, the ice crew, the physiotherapists, the fans and all the players for putting on a weekend that won’t be soon forgotten!”

“It was great to see some of our local club curlers doing well. It was also great to see the way the community got behind this event.”

Two-time Olympic gold medalist John Morris who also took part said the event was about helping grow the sport of curling in the Bow Valley, and aimed to inspire generations of curlers. “We are bringing a world class event here to help keep the Olympic dream alive in our youth. When I was a kid I dreamed about going to the Olympics, and I moved out here because of what was created here in 1988,” said Morris.

The winners of the finals at the Fenlands Center on Sunday were Sarah Anderson and Korey Dropkin, from Chaska, Minnesota USA. They took home $10,000. They beat Canada’s Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant from Winnipeg, Manitoba by a score of 9 – 4 who took the second place prize of $5,000.

(Pictured) Jill Officer, who won gold at the 2014 Olympics and the 2008 World Championships with team mate and world champion curler Reid Carruthers at the Qualico Mixed Doubles Classic on January 3. Photo credit Marie Conboy.BA